Again in 2021, two bald eagles have taken up residence at the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration’s (MDOT MPA) Masonville Cove Environmental Education Center in Baltimore.
The eagle pair have raised eaglets previously at Masonville Cove and could raise more this spring. The typical nesting season continues through May.
The public is invited to watch the eagles through a live streaming camera installed recently near their nest by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The footage can be viewed at:
MDOT MPA partners with USFWS, the Maryland Environmental Service (MES), the Living Classrooms Foundation, and the National Aquarium to encourage bald eagle breeding at Masonville Cove.
A protected area has been established for the eagles in compliance with National Bald Eagle Nest Protection Guidelines.
Masonville Cove, at 1000 Frankfurst Avenue in Baltimore, is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Extended hours are offered the first Thursday of each month from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Visitors are encouraged to bring binoculars, and are required to adhere to COVID-19 health guidelines that include wearing face coverings and practicing social distancing.
Access to the campus is currently limited due to breeding season. However, the public can view the eagles anytime through the streaming camera, and can also see them in person from the Captain Trash Wheel trail, which is accessible from the Masonville Cove Environmental Education Center.
In addition to the education center, Masonville Cove offers walking trails and a fishing pier. Approximately 250 different species of birds have been spotted at Masonville Cove, which is listed the Baltimore eBird list of hot spots.
The Living Classrooms Foundation and National Aquarium provide educational and environmental programs at Masonville Cove attended by more than 2,000 students annually. During the COVID-19 emergency programs are being conducted virtually.
Located along the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River, Masonville Cove is an urban wildlife area and environmental restoration success story. The property has been transformed from the former home of Kurt Iron and Metal and the Maryland Shipbuilding and Drydock Co.
In 2013, USFWS designated Masonville Cove as the nation’s first Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership. In 2018, Masonville Cove welcomed the solar-powered Captain Trash Wheel, which collects debris in the water surrounding Masonville Cove and prevents it from entering the Patapsco River.
Its operation is part of mitigation efforts associated with the neighboring MDOT MPA’s Masonville Dredged Material Containment Facility, which receives dredged sediment from Baltimore shipping channels to clear the way for ships heading to and from the Port of Baltimore.
sources: Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration, Masonville Cove Environmental Education Center
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